Top 25 greatest high school football rivalries

MaxPreps takes a look at 25 of the nation's best rivalries and attempts to rank them based on length of the rivalry, number of games, closeness of the series and importance of the matchup (based on state titles).

While the Jenks-Union matchup in Oklahoma is a relatively new rivalry, it's hard to beat a matchup that regularly features state championship teams and is played in front of nearly 40,000 fans. The Backyard Bowl receives MaxPreps' vote as the No. 1 rivalry in the nation. Take a look at the rest of the Top 25.
Top 25 greatest high school football rivalries

1. Jenks (Okla.) vs. Union (Tulsa, Okla.)
Year Began: 1977
All-Time Series: Jenks 34, Union 21
Location: University of Tulsa
Name: Backyard Bowl
Tradition: The two teams have played every year since the origin in 1977, except for 2001 due to the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Jenks has won six of the matchups in the state finals, while Union has won four. The game is played in front of crowds of 40,000. The two teams combined to win every Class 6A state championship in Oklahoma from 1996 to 2016.
This Year: Jenks 27, Union 10. The two teams are scheduled to meet in the Class 6A-1 semifinals.

2. McKinley (Canton, Ohio) vs. Washington (Massillon, Ohio)
Year Began: 1894
All-Time Series: Washington 71, McKinley 53, five ties
Location: At Paul Brown Stadium or Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
Name: The War of 1894
Tradition: The game features two of the most prestigious football programs in the nation. They have combined for 36 state championships and over 1,700 all-time wins. Washington ranks No. 1 in Ohio for all-time wins and McKinley is No. 2. The two teams battle for a steam engine 922 locomotive bell.
This Year: Washington 24, McKinley 17.

3. St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.) vs. Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)
Year Began: 1956
All-Time Series: Trinity 45, St. Xavier 38, two ties
Location: University of Louisville's Cardinal Stadium
Name: Trinity-St. X Game
Tradition: The two teams have combined for 37 state championships with Trinity winning a state-best 25 and St. Xavier winning 12. The two teams have met in the state finals six times with Trinity winning four of those games. The game is regularly attended by nearly 35,000 fans.
This Year: St. Xavier 21, Trinity 7.

4. Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) vs. St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
Year Began: 1893
All-Time Series: Gonzaga 47, St. John's 45, three ties
Location: Alternate between schools
Tradition: The game is considered the oldest rivalry between two Catholic schools in the nation. Over the past three seasons, the two teams have met in the regular season and the playoffs. In 2016 and 2018, the winner of the regular season game lost in the postseason.
This Year: St. John's 34, Gonzaga 17 (regular season); Gonzaga 24, St. John's 14 (playoffs).

5. Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) vs. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
Year Began: 1958
All-Time Series: Don Bosco Prep 38, Bergen Catholic 30, two ties
Location: Alternate between home stadiums
Name: "New Jersey's best rivalry"
Tradition: Don Bosco Prep and Bergen Catholic have combined to win 32 Non-Public championships since 1963 with Bergen Catholic winning 17 and Don Bosco Prep winning 15.
This Year: Bergen Catholic 14, Don Bosco Prep 13.

6. Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) vs. Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.)
Year Began: 1963
All-Time Series: Detroit Central Catholic 32, Brother Rice 30, one tie
Location: Hurley Stadium
Name: The Boys Bowl
Tradition: The two teams have featured two of the winningest coaches in state history. Brother Rice coach Al Fracassa won 430 games in his career while Tom Mach of Catholic Central won 370. The two teams have combined for 19 state championships.
This Year: Catholic Central 21, Brother Rice 0.

7. Punahou (Honolulu) vs. Kamehameha Kapalama (Honolulu)
Year Began: 1903
All-Time Series: Punahou 95, Kamehameha 90, six ties
Location: Aloha Stadium
Tradition: The two teams play each other more than any two teams in the nation and no rivalry is even close. They officially had their 190th meeting this year during the regular season and then played again in the playoffs. In 2017 they played three times.
This Year: Punahou 30, Kamehameha 14 (regular season); Punahou 35, Kamehameha 0 (playoffs).

8. St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) vs. St. Ignatius (Cleveland)
Year Began: 1952
All-Time Series: St. Ignatius 32, St. Edward 25, one tie
Location: FirstEnergy Stadium
Name: The Holy War
Tradition: Although not played continuously since it first began in the 1950s, the Holy War has become the top game in Northern Ohio, featuring two teams who have combined for 14 state championships.
This Year: St. Ignatius 21, St. Edward 7 (regular season); St. Edward 21, St. Ignatius 19 (playoffs).

9. Permian (Odessa, Texas) vs. Midland Lee (Texas)
Year Began: 1961
All-Time Series: Permian 38, Midland Lee 22, one tie
Location: Alternate between schools
Tradition: The battle for West Texas isn't the oldest rivalry in the state of Texas, but it is one of the more intense ones. The annual contest, fought between two towns that are 12 miles apart, was featured in Buzz Bissinger's book "Friday Night Lights" and was featured in the 2004 movie of the same name. Between 1980 and 2001, the two teams combined for seven state championships.
This Year: Midland Lee 43, Permian 36.

10. Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.) vs. Valdosta (Ga.)
Year Began: 1968
All-Time Series: Valdosta 37, Lowndes 19
Location: Alternate between home sites
Name: Winnersville Classic
Tradition: These two teams have combined for 29 state championships and over 1,300 all-time wins. Of course Valdosta has the bulk of that total with 24 and 917; however, Lowndes has had the upper hand of late, including a 45-0 win last year and a big win in 2018.
This Year: Lowndes 71, Valdosta 35.

11. Rock Hill (S.C.) vs. Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Year Began: 1972
All-Time Series: Northwestern 30, Rock Hill 24
Location: Alternate sites
Tradition: The rivalry is one of the best cross-town rivalries in the nation in a town that has produced some tremendous talent over that past 30 years. The two teams have combined for seven state titles and regularly play in front of 10,000 fans.
This Year: Rock Hill 28, Northwestern 21.

12. Webster Groves (Mo.) vs. Kirkwood (Mo.)
Year Began: 1898
All-Time Series: Webster Groves 58, Kirkwood 51, seven ties
Location: Alternates between school sites
Name: Turkey Day Game
Tradition: Considered the oldest rivalry Thanksgiving Day games in the nation. Junior varsity teams sometimes meet in the Turkey Day game if the varsity teams are participating in the state playoffs. The winner receives the Frisco Bell and the loser receives the Little Brown Jug.
This Year: Scheduled for Nov. 22.

13. Leominster (Mass.) vs. Fitchburg (Mass.)
Year Began: 1894
All-Time Series: Leominster 66, Fitchburg 60, 10 ties
Location: Alternate school sites
Name: The Rivalry
Tradition: Up until 2010, this ranked as one of the longest and closest rivalries in the nation. Only 13 rivalries are longer and in 2009 the two teams were tied at 58-58-10. The rivalry is also one of the longest Thanksgiving Day rivalry games in the nation.
This Year: Scheduled for Nov. 22.

14. Garfield (Los Angeles) vs. Roosevelt (Los Angeles)
Year Began: 1925
All-Time Series: Roosevelt 40, Garfield 38, six ties
Location: Weingart Stadium at East Los Angeles College
Name: East L.A. Classic
Tradition: This game is for bragging rights in East Los Angeles and it packs in 25,000 fans each year. The game features the first two schools established in East Los Angeles and is the homecoming game for both schools.
This Year: Garfield 35, Roosevelt 15.

15. Wellesley (Mass.) vs. Needham (Mass.)
Year Began: 1882
All-Time Series: Wellesley 62, Needham 59, nine ties
Location: Alternate between two schools
Tradition: The oldest public high school rivalry Thanksgiving Day Game in the United States, the two teams have played every year except during the two World Wars and from 1950 to 1952, according to USA Today, when riots broke out between the two teams.
This Year: Scheduled for Nov. 22.

16. Hampton (Va.) vs. Phoebus (Hampton, Va.)
Year Began: 1976
All-Time Series: Hampton 32, Phoebus 19
Location: Darling Stadium
Tradition: The two teams have been two of the top programs in Virginia for the past 40 years and have combined for 18 state championships between them. Hampton dominated the rivalry in the 1970s and 80s, but Phoebus has been the dominant team over the past 15 seasons.
This Year: Phoebus 35, Hampton 0.

17. Norwich Free Academy (Conn.) vs. New London (Conn.)
Year Began: 1875
All-Time Series: Norwich Free Academy 78, New London 66, 11 ties.
Location: Alternate between schools
Tradition: Although not played continuously, the rivalry is one of the original Thanksgiving Day games. The original rivalry was between Norwich Free Academy and Bulkeley, however Bulkeley merged with Chapman Technical in 1951 to form New London.
This Year: Scheduled for Nov. 22.

18. Holy Cross (New Orleans) vs. Jesuit (New Orleans)
Year Began: 1922
All-Time Series: Jesuit 57, Holy Cross 40, one tie (one game no contest)
Location: Tad Gormley Stadium
Name: The Golden Game, teams plays for the Golden Football Trophy
Tradition: The game is considered one of the longest continuous rivalries in the nation and they will play their 100th game in 2020.
This Year: Jesuit 28, Holy Cross 7.

19. Easton (Pa.) vs. Phillipsburg (N.J.)
Year Began: 1906
All-Time Series: Easton 64, Phillipsburg 42, five ties
Location: Lafayette College
Tradition: This game features two of the winningest programs in the nation. Easton is one of the winningest teams in Pennsylvania history, while across the Delaware River, Phillipsburg is one of the winningest teams in New Jersey history.
This Year: Scheduled for Nov. 22.

20. Mayfield (Las Cruces, N.M.) vs. Las Cruces (N.M.)
Year Began: 1967
All-Time Series: Mayfield 29, Las Cruces 25, one tie
Location: Aggie Memorial Stadium
Tradition: The two teams have each won eight state championships. The game is for bragging rights in the city of Las Cruces and regularly attracts over 25,000 fans.
This Year: Las Cruces 49, Mayfield 13.

21. Male (Louisville, Ky.) vs. DuPont Manual (Louisville, Ky.)
Year Began: 1893
All-Time Series: Male 86, Manual 45, six ties
Location: Alternate between schools.
Name: The Old Rivalry
Tradition: The two teams play for "The Barrel" in a game that is the oldest rivalry west of the Appalachian Mountains. Originally a Thanksgiving Day game, but that tradition ended in 1980.
This Year: Male 48, Manual 0.

22. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) vs. Servite (Anaheim, Calif.)
Year Began: 1961
All-Time Series: Mater Dei 39, Servite 17, two ties
Location: Santa Ana Stadium
Tradition: Considered the best rivalry in the toughest league in the nation — the Trinity League. For many years the champion of the Trinity League was determined by the winner of this traditional rivalry. Mater Dei and Servite have also regularly been two of the top football programs in the state of California.
This Year: Mater Dei 35, Servite 0.

23. Douglas (Ariz.) vs. Bisbee (Ariz.)
Year Began: 1906
All-Time Series: Douglas 76, Bisbee 58, eight ties
Location: Alternate between school sites
Name: The Copper Pick Game
Tradition: The two teams played twice a year for the first 45 years of the rivalry and have played every season except for a brief stretch in the early 1990s. The rivalry is one of the oldest in the Western United States and the number of games played ranks No. 1 for teams in the western part of the continental United States.
This Year: Douglas 54, Bisbee 7, but Douglas had to forfeit due to ineligible player and gave the copper pick back to Bisbee.

24. Glades Central (Belle Glade, Fla.) vs. Pahokee (Fla.)
Year Began: Believed to be 1984
All-Time Series: Glades Central 26, Pahokee 12
Location: Alternates between home sites
Name: The Muck Bowl
Tradition: The game has featured close to 50 future NFL players, including All-Pros Rickey Jackson and Anquan Boldin of Pahokee and Fred Taylor and Jessie Hester of Glades Central. Regularly viewed by more than 25,000 fans, despite the fact that the population of both towns combined is about 23,000.
This Year: Glades Central 22, Pahokee 12.

25. Virginia (Bristol, Va.) vs. Tennessee (Bristol, Tenn.)
Year Began: 1919
All-Time Series: Tennessee 72, Virginia 28, two ties
Location: The Stone Castle
Name: The V-T Game
Tradition: Although a rather lopsided rivalry, this one is unique because the two teams share a city between the two states of Virginia and Tennessee. The state line is marked by a brass marker in the middle of the street. While Tennessee has played in one of the larger classifications (and was even national champion in the early 1970s), Virginia plays in the smaller state classifications. The two teams also share the same stadium which looks like a medieval castle.
This Year: Tennessee 42, Virginia 21.